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Catch At the Chance

Day of Salvation

The story is told of a time when Satan held a strategy session for subverting those who were close to salvation. “What shall we do?” asked Satan. A daring demon stood and shouted “I have it! I know what we can do! We can tell men that there is not life after death that they die like animals.” Satan’s face fell as he answered “It will never work. Man is not ignorant; even atheists admit of times when they sense a tomorrow after death.”

Another demon spoke “Here’s the solution! Let’s say there is no God or if there ever was he is dead-because even if he started the universe he has left it now.” Satan replied in dismay “That won’t work either; most of them know there is a God even though they don’t seek him.”

Other ideas were presented but none brought hope to Satan and his underlings. Finally as they were about to give up one demon leaped in glee “I have it! A sure solution!” The other demons crowded around to hear the plan. “Go tell them that God is real and the Bible is God’s Word.” A gasp came from the audience as the demon continued. “And tell them that Jesus is God’s Son and frees men from sin.” The other demons were horror-stricken thinking that their associate had gone bananas until with a smile he added “Then tell them that this is not the best time to choose Christ. Help them make excuses for delaying their decision. Tell them there is no hurry!” The demons danced in delight realizing a workable plan had been discovered. ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical Preaching》

"WHY ARE YOU WAITING?"
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. In another study ("The Excuses Of Moses")
we saw...
 a. That when God called Moses he tried to excuse himself by offering
 several objections
 b. Yet God answered every objection
declaring them invalid
 
2. I applied the lesson to those in the church...
 a. Who are called to take the gospel to the lost
 b. Yet often make excuses for not doing so
 
3. Let's take this idea of offering excuses a step farther...
 a. Directing it toward those who are not Christians
 b. Whom God is calling through the gospel to obey Jesus Christ
 c. If you have not yet obeyed the gospel...
 1) It may be you think you have a valid reason
 2) But just as God answered every objection raised by Moses
so
 His Word answers any reason you may give for not obeying 
 today!
 
4. Indeed
one might properly ask the same question Ananias asked 
 Paul...
 
 "And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized
and wash
 away your sins
calling on the name of the Lord." (Ac 22:16)
 
[Why does one wait? Whatever the objection
the Lord has an answer. To
illustrate
consider some of the objections often raised for not 
obeying the gospel
beginning with...]
 
I. "I WILL LATER...BUT NOT NOW. LET ME WAIT AWHILE."
 
 A. PROCRASTINATION IS ONE OF SATAN'S GREATEST WEAPONS...
 1. He delights in using it on us at every stage of life; e.g.
he
 gets the:
 a. 12 year old to delay by saying "I'm much too young to think
 about God"
 b. 18 year old to delay by saying "I'm much too smart to think
 about God"
 c. 22 year old to delay by saying "I'm much too happy to think
 about God"
  d. 25 year old to delay by saying "I'm much too busy to think
 about God"
 e. 30 year old to delay by saying "I'm much too smug to think
 about God"
 f. 40 year old to delay by saying "I'm much too tired to think
  about God"
 g. 50 year old to delay by saying "I'm much too worried to
 think about God"
 h. 60 year old to delay by saying "I'm much too old to think
 about God"
 2. Much too often
death comes unexpectedly
and then it is too
 late to think about God!
 
 B. THAT DELAY IS FOLLY SHOULD BE EVIDENT...
 1. Would you delay in taking appropriate action if you knew...
 a. There was a bomb in your house that could explode at any
 moment?
 b. You had a terminal disease if left untreated?
 2. Why then have this concern for the body
but not for the
 soul?
 a. The soul is much more important than the body - Mt 10:28
 b. If you know what to do
don't delay; your soul is at stake!
 
[But then some say...]
 
II. "I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH YET"
 
 A. A DESIRE TO LEARN MORE IS COMMENDABLE...
 1. There is a lot more that I would like to know!
 2. But being a Christian involves a growth process...
  a. A lot of the teaching takes place AFTER we become disciples
 - cf. Mt 28:19-20
 b. In fact
one can become a Christian with very little 
 knowledge
 
 B. HOW MUCH DOES ONE NEED TO KNOW?
 1. Consider the examples of conversions in the Book of Acts...
 a. Most conversions resulted after just one lesson; how many 
 lessons or sermons have you heard?
 b. E.g.
when the Ethiopian eunuch wanted to be baptized after
 just one lesson
it was "faith" that was necessary
not 
 "extensive knowledge" per se - Ac 8:35-37
 2. If you understand
and are convicted in your heart...
 a. That you are lost in your sins
 b. That Christ offered Himself on the cross for your sins
 c. That you can receive the benefits of His death through:
 1) Believing in Jesus as the Christ
the Son of God 
 - Ac 8:37; 10:43; 16:30-31
 2) Repenting of your sins - Ac 2:38; 3:19; 17:30-31
  3) Confessing your faith in Christ - Ro 10:9-10; Ac 8:37
 4) Being baptized for the remission of your sins - Ac 2:38;
 22:16; 1 Pe 3:21
 5) Remaining faithful to the Lord - Re 2:10
 -- Then you know enough to receive salvation and begin the
 Christian life!
 
[Then there are those who admit they know enough
but say...]
 
III. "I WANT TO WAIT UNTIL I AM SURE I CAN LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE" or
 "I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH YET
I WANT TO IMPROVE MY LIFE"
 
 A. THIS IMPLIES A MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE...
 1. Some mistakenly believe they are expected to act like mature
 Christians right away
 a. They look at those who have been Christians for years
 b. They know they cannot act like that immediately
so assume
 they must change themselves completely before becoming
 Christians
 2. Again
they forget that being a Christian is a growth process
 a. We start out as "babes in Christ"
often still carnal in
 behavior - cf. 1 Co 3:1-4
 b. But we are to grow
gradually putting off the "old man" and
 putting on the "new man" - 2 Pe 3:18; Co 3:8-10
 
 B. IN FACT
ONE CANNOT LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE WITHOUT CHRIST!
 1. If you wait until you can live the Christian life to become a
 Christian
you will be waiting forever!
 2. It is only in Christ that we receive the strength to overcome
 the struggles of the flesh - cf. Ro 6:17-18; Ro 8:12-13; 
 Ph 4:13
 3. To delay obeying Christ until one's life is in order...
 a. Is to "put the cart before the horse"
 b. We need Christ and His strength in order to truly reform 
 our lives!
 
[Then
some are bound to say...]
 
IV. "THERE ARE HYPOCRITES IN THE CHURCH"
 
 A. TRUE
BUT THERE ARE HYPOCRITES EVERYWHERE...
 1. In the PTA
civic clubs
etc.; do hypocrites in the stadium
 prevent you from enjoying a good sports event?
 2. Their sin of hypocrisy is no excuse for you to continue in 
 YOUR sins (remember
two wrongs don't make a right!)
 3. Which is worse...
 a. To spend A FEW YEARS in a church with a FEW hypocrites?
 b. Or to spend ETERNITY in hell with ALL the hypocrites?
 
 B. SOME OTHER THINGS TO REMEMBER...
 1. Jesus did not refuse to worship in the synagogues though the
 religious leaders were hypocrites
 2. Peter
James
John and the rest of the apostles did not leave
 Jesus because Judas was a hypocrite!
 3. If you let the hypocrite come in between you and God...
 a. You let the hypocrite become bigger than God!
 b. You can't see God for the hypocrite! How tragic!
 
[To our list of excuses
we can add yet another...]
 
V. "I WANT TO WAIT FOR MY SPOUSE OR PARENTS"
 
 A. YOUR CONCERN IS COMMENDABLE
BUT...
 1. Will you help them by waiting?
 a. They may be waiting for you to obey first
 b. Your delay can only hinder their own obedience
 2. Your example of obedience can be a powerful influence for good
 - cf. 1 Pe 3:1-2
 
 B. WHEN YOU STAND BEFORE THE LORD
IT WILL BE AS AN INDIVIDUAL...
 1. It will not be in family groups
you will have to answer for
 yourself! - Ro 14:12; 2 Co 5:10
 2. As much as you may love them
don't let them lose your soul 
 for you!
 
[Finally
let's consider an objection that is somewhat similar to the
one we've just discussed...]
 
VI. "I AM AFRAID OF WHAT MY PARENTS OR SPOUSE MIGHT THINK"
 
 A. WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND WHAT JESUS TAUGHT...
 1. The Lord must come first - Mt 10:34-37
 2. He has made it clear that we must be more concerned about what
 He thinks than what our loved ones might think
 
 B. SOMETHING ELSE TO BEAR IN MIND...
 1. At first they may think you are disregarding their feelings or
 beliefs
 2. But in reality you are likely acting upon the fundamental 
 principles they themselves taught you!
 3. Did they not teach you...
 a. To do what is right?
 b. To not violate your conscience?
 c. To stand on your own convictions?
 -- So they really have no basis to think evil of you
do they?
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. There may be other excuses
reasons
or objections one might give 
 for not obeying the gospel...
 a. But this should suffice to illustrate that there is really no 
 justifiable reason to put off your obedience to the gospel
 b. There is really no justification for not accepting the grace God
 offers you through Jesus Christ!
 
2. So if you know what you need to do
why put it off any longer?
 
Together with Ananias
the disciple the Lord sent to tell Saul of 
Tarsus what he needed to do
we ask:
 
 "And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized
and wash
 away your sins
calling on the name of the Lord." (Ac 22:16)

－－《Executable Outlines》